


In the Sun

by Shea



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety Attacks, Day At The Beach, Fluff, M/M, Past Character Death, Sexual Content, Sunburn, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 20:59:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7284583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shea/pseuds/Shea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spartos won't go in the ocean after what happened with Mystras. Sharrkan tries to help, but it backfires. Still, it's a pretty fun day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning(s)!: There are mentions of drowning, and an anxiety attack, sort of. So- yeah. :P

Spartos has no idea why he agreed to go to the beach. He's never liked it. Considering he was fair-skinned, and burned way too easily, beach trips were never any fun. Well, okay, they were _kinda_ fun, when he was with his brothers and friends. But then that year happened.. the year when his brother drowned.. He's never been back to the beach since. Not until now, anyway.

Sinbad is throwing another little party on the beach, only it's just with their group of friends and not half the neighborhood. It's nicer, with only the nine of them. But Spartos refuses to go anywhere near the water. He sets up his towel and takes a seat, pulling out the sunscreen.

"Sharrkan," He calls out to his boyfriend, who is already pulling off his shirt. "You should probably put some sunscreen on."

Sharrkan snorts and looks at him like he's crazy. "Are you kidding me? My skin's naturally dark, and I'll only tan even darker. I never burn."

Spartos rolls his eyes as he rubs the sunscreen in on his arms. "Whatever you say, Sharrkan."

"You don't even _need_ sunscreen, do you? You won't burn that badly, right?"

"Yes, Sharrkan, I will. Last summer I was about as red as my hair all over, remember?"

"Yeah, but it's cooler than last year. Stop being so paranoid. You don't need it."

"Sharrkan," Spartos narrows his eyes at him but otherwise has a completely casual expression. "If you still want me to be flexible and limber for _later_ , then I need it."

Sharrkan blinks in slight shock and then kneels beside him. "Let me help you put it on-"

Spartos rolls his eyes again and waves him off. "I've already got it, Sharrkan."

He takes a book out of his bag, only to have it snatched away again by Pisti. He's already chastised her about her choice in swimwear; he could hardly look at her without dying of embarrassment. The bikini she wore was.. well, revealing- putting it nicely. "What're you reading for, Spartos? We came here to have _fun_! Come on!"

"I don't want to. Can I have my book back please?"

Pisti pouts at him. "It won't be any fun if you're not swimming with us!"

"I already said no, Pisti. And I mean it." He holds his hand out for his book, which she returns with a huff.

Sharrkan frowns slightly and gives Pisti a look that more or less said 'drop it'. She frowns as well, and then skips off towards the water. Sharrkan kneels beside Spartos, resting a hand on his bare back gently. "Hey, you sure you're alright here?"

"I'm fine, Sharrkan. I just.. don't want to go swimming."

He doesn't miss the way Spartos avoids his gaze. He presses his lips together and rubs his back. "Well, if you start getting uncomfortable, just give me a yell and we'll leave."

"Sharrkan, I'm not a child."

"I know that. It's just.. that kind of stuff is traumatic, or so I've heard."

Spartos doesn't say anything for a moment, but he puts his book down. He glances out at the ocean, where the others are already swimming, splashing, and playing. He grabs Sharrkan's hand, giving it a light squeeze. "Just be careful, okay?"

Sharrkan nods and presses a gentle kiss to his temple. "Yeah, I will. You sure you'll be okay here by yourself?"

"I'll be fine. Go, have fun." Spartos smiles at him.

Sharrkan grins and gives him a quick peck before running to the water, kicking up sand as he went. Spartos shakes his head slightly before turning back to his reading.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey," Sharrkan greets, slightly out of breath. He has his towel laying over his shoulders and water is still dripping off of his form. Spartos can't help but bite his lower lip slightly and jas to actually restrain himself. "We still have some beer?"

"Yeah, in the cooler." Spartos motions to said cooler beside him.

Sharrkan grins as he gets one of the cans out, opening it with a satisfying sound, and then taking a long drink. He takes a seat behind Spartos on his towel, and wraps his arms around him, holding his beer in front of his stomach. "Whatcha reading?"

"Flowers in the Attic." Spartos replies, leaning back into him. "..you're cold and wet."

"Well, I have been swimming." Sharrkan chuckled and kissed the top of his head, which was burning hot from the sun. "It's probably time you reapply your sunscreen, yeah?"

"Oh, probably." Spartos takes the bottle out of his bag and manages to open it before Sharrkan plucks it out of his hand.

"Lemme do it for you~" He grins and kisses his cheek.

"Okay, then." Spartos blinks but takes Sharrkan's drink as the other male puts the cold lotion on his back. The redhead can't help but sigh lightly as Sharrkan rubs it into his skin, massaging the tight muscles on his shoulders and neck.

"You've been stressed a lot recently, babe?" Sharrkan asks as he works the knots out.

"Not particularly, I don't think. I haven't felt any different anyway."

"Hm." Sharrkan nods and continues to give him a massage, though the sunscreen has already been long rubbed in. It's not often Spartos lets him give him any massage, though he dearly wants to.

Spartos can't hold back a light moan as Sharrkan reaches a particularly tender spot, and then pushes his arms away as best he could. "Stop it, Sharrkan. I'm fine now!"

Sharrkan laughs. "Does that turn you on?"

Spartos' face turns red, and not because of the sun. "No! Just- go back to swimming, Sharrkan!"

He laughs and gets up, though he kneels in front of him. "Come with me."

Spartos blinks and shakes his head. "No, I don't want to."

"Come on, please? You used to love swimming in high school."

"I know. But.. it's different." He frowns.

"I know. But you need to overcome this, right? Come on. I'll be with you every step of the way, and I won't let you go."

"But.." Spartos frowns. "I.. I don't know.."

"Come on." Sharrkan repeats, taking his hands and hauling him up onto his feet. "I'll be right here, okay? It'll be okay. And if it gets too much, we can stop and come back, alright? Just, try? For me?"

Spartos is silent, but he nods. Sharrkan gives him an encouraging smile and a gentle kiss. Taking his hand, he leads him toward the water. Spartos' stomach is squeezing uncomfortably and he tries not to turn and run. The water looks dark, little waves churning it slightly. It makes Spartos uneasy, but Sharrkan seems determined and hopeful, and he doesn't want to let him down.

As Spartos enters the water, he squeezes Sharrkan's hand tightly. But he only smiles at him and takes him further out. Spartos knows it's probably foolish to be so afraid of swimming in the ocean. He can't help it though, after watching what happened to Mystras. Unable to do anything. Listening to people around him panic and scream.. his father yelling..

He suddenly practically leaps at Sharrkan, squeezing his biceps with his fingers and nails together. They're only thigh-deep in the water, but Spartos feels like he might have an anxiety attack. "I-I can't. I want to get out." He half-whispers to Sharrkan, clinging to him desperately.

"Okay. It's okay. Just- here." Sharrkan doesn't hesitate to pick him up out of the water, heading back to the beach. He presses kiss after kiss to his face, telling him that it's okay and that he's sorry. Spartos only clings to his neck, ignoring the concerned looks of the others.

Once Sharrkan sets him down on his towel again, he wraps his own towel around the redhead's shoulders. "You want a drink?" He asks, to which Spartos only shakes his head. Sharrkan frowns and sits beside him in the sand. "I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have forced you.."

"It's okay." Spartos says quietly, reaching over to take his hand gently. "You had good intentions. I'm just.. not ready."

"Understandably." Sharrkan nods. "Still, it's my fault."

"I said it's okay." Spartos leans up to kiss his cheek, giving him a tiny smile as his breathing and heart rate slowly go back to normal. "I appreciate the thought."

Sharrkan returns his smile and gives him a soft kiss, rubbing their noses together lightly. "Well, you're welcome."

They spend the rest of the afternoon on the beach, building a sandcastle and then burying Pisti in the sand. Sharrkan and Yamuraiha had started a water gun fight (which Spartos and Ja'far tactfully stayed out of). Sharrkan ended up taking a nap, his head resting on Spartos' lap while he read. Up until Pisti sprayed him in the face with a water gun, effectively waking him up and starting a whole new war.

Now it was dark out, and they'd started a bonfire. Sharrkan and Spartos have a beach towel wrapped around their shoulders, huddled close together. Sinbad's tried telling "scary" ghost stories that turn out to be more amusing than scary. Smores are made and consumed happily. It's overall a pretty good day, and Spartos is content with his friends and boyfriend at the beach for once.

It isn't until some security tells them it's time to leave do they start packing up. "This was fun. We should do it again." Yamuraiha says as she throws her bag in her car.

"We should." Ja'far agrees. "Next time we all have a day off, maybe."

"Ah, let's do something different!" Sharrkan exclaims. "Like, the pool! Or camping! Or- ooh! Maybe do a road trip!"

"Let's do all three!" Pisti cheers. "We can pull off all three in one summer."

" _Maybe_." Ja'far counters. "I don't know if Sin has any vacation time."

"Oh, I will too! Besides, I own the place."

"That doesn't mean you can just take vacations and leave whenever you want." Ja'far argues, grabbing a tight hold of is ear.

"Ow! Okay, okay!" Sinbad cries, and then grins once Ja'far lets go. "We'll talk about it later~"

Spartos nods and gets in the passenger seat of the car. Sharrkan says a few more farewells, and a jab or two at Yamuraiha, before getting in the driver's seat. He hisses in pain when he sits back. "Ow, fuck."

"Did you get a sunburn?" Spartos asks, exasperated. He pokes Sharrkan's shoulder, who hisses again and slaps his and away. "Sharrkan! I _told_ you to put sunscreen on!"

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Sharrkan pouts as he starts up the car. "We have aloe at home, right?"

Spartos sighs and nods. "Yes. We do." He shakes his head. "You should listen to me more."

"I thought I'd be fine! Don't yell at me.. It hurts my feelings."

"Not as much as your sunburn, I suspect."

Sharrkan only huffs and continues driving home. Spartos smirks a little at him before looking out the window. The drive is silent, but not uncomfortably so. Sharrkan reaches over to grab his hand, running a thumb over his slightly burnt hand softly. "I'm not the only one."

"I know." Spartos frowns. "Every time.."

"Hey, so does this mean we're not gonna do it tonight?"

"Do what?"

Sharrkan gave him a deadpanned expression. "Come on, you know what I'm talking about. The _good_ stuff~ The _do_ ~ The _nasty_ ~"

"Okay, okay, I get it." Spartos shakes his head. "And with a sunburn like yours, I don't think you'll be all into it."

"I'll be fine!" Sharrkan whines. "You _promised_."

"Yeah, but Sharrkan, that looks pretty bad. I mean, you can't even sit back in your seat."

Sharrkan pouts, actually sticking his bottom lip out. "I can manage.." He mutters.

Spartos rolls his eyes. "Please." He gives his hand a squeeze though. "I'll make it up to you when that heals, alright?"

"Our next day off," Sharrkan says and points a finger at him. "You're all mine. All day. We're not leaving that apartment."

Spartos snorts but nods. "Fine. It's a deal."

Sharrkan grins and kisses the back of his hand. "Good."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sharrkan groans as he collapses on his stomach on their bed. "This hurts like a _bitch_."

"I warned you." Spartos shakes his head, grabbing the aloe vera from the medicine cabinet. "Do you want me to do it?"

Sharrkan nods, shutting his eyes. "Please."

Spartos rests a knee on the edge of the bed as he pours some aloe on his fingers. With a gentle, almost feather-like touch, he spreads the substance on Sharrkan's shoulders. The other male hisses lightly. "I can't tell if that feels good or not."

"Yeah, you're gonna have to put some on every day until it heals."

"...." Sharrkan is silent for a moment as Spartos gently spreads his hands on the other's burnt back. "Are you sure we can't have sex tonight?"

The redhead rolls his eyes for the umpteenth time. "First of all, you have work tomorrow. Second, I don't want to feel half-pleased because your injury won't allow you to do it properly."

Sharrkan snorts and nods his head slightly, hugging a pillow under his face. "Fair enough."

Spartos gives his cheek a kiss as he closes the aloe. "Get some sleep. I'm gonna go take a shower, and then I'll go to sleep."

"Ooh, let me come!"

"You're gonna wash off all that aloe I just put on. Besides, the hot water is just going to irritate your sunburn." Spartos replies, pulling a blanket over him. "You can join me tomorrow."

Sharrkan pouts once again. "Can't do anything fun with this stupid burn."

"Should've put sunscreen on~" Spartos half-sings as he grabs a towel and heads for the bathroom.

"If you don't stop with that I'll start using sunscreen for the lube!"

"Least you won't get a sunburn!"

Sharrkan can't help but laugh as he turns his head over, hugging the pillow close. "I love that man." He whispers to himself, flexing his shoulders and then wincing. "I'm never going to the beach again.."

 


End file.
